DESCRIPTION: The objective of this study is to longitudinally assess the influences of parental and family health related personal control beliefs and health behaviors on normative child health-related personal control beliefs, health behaviors, and outcome. The health beliefs, behavior and health status of 240 healthy Mexican-American and Euro-American elementary school-aged children and their parents will be assessed over a three-year period. Data to be collected in this study include: 1) assessments of parent, child, and family beliefs with respect to personal control of health (health locus of control, health self-efficacy, and perceived vulnerability); 2) behavioral assessments of children's health understanding and health behavior, utilizing a multi-informant (teachers, peers, self-report, etc.) and multi-methods strategy; 3) child health outcome measures (pediatric examinations, parental report of child health, school records, etc.); and 4) assessment of health-related and non-health related family interaction and dynamics (observational and multi-informant report). Analyses of stability and change in child, parent, and family health beliefs and behavior across the years, both as a function of development and shifts at the level of individual differences will be completed. Analyses of the predictive value of early child and family assessments on child health beliefs, behavior, and outcomes at later time points will be conducted. Theoretically, the results of this project will permit the development of a model of the familial processes and mechanisms which contribute to the socialization of personal control health beliefs and health behavior, and their health consequences, during mid- to late-childhood. Within an applied perspective, the findings will lead to improved specification and effectiveness of childhood health intervention.